Jim Ryan's crown and scepter

February 07, 2002

This may come as a shock to Atty. Gen. Jim Ryan, but here in Illinois we're having a primary campaign to begin choosing a new governor. By custom, the process works like this for each person who's seeking the highest electoral office in the state: (1) Candidate voices positions on important issues. (2) Voters think about that. (3) On Election Day, voters choose winner.

That is not, evidently, how Ryan sees the process. If his campaign had a title, it would be "The inevitability of Jim Ryan." His strategy is to run out the clock while saying as little as possible about controversial issues that divide voters. He is, in short, waiting to be handed the crown and scepter to which he feels entitled.

No doubt Ryan's political advisers are pleased with his campaign of avoidance. He's sitting on a fat lead in the polls, so why make enemies?

But Ryan is making it difficult for voters to do their jobs. He hasn't fully engaged this election contest with his fellow Republicans, Lt. Gov. Corinne Wood and state Sen. Patrick O'Malley. He has dodged several joint appearances with his opponents and generally has treated dealing with them as an annoyance.

Even more troubling, Ryan's campaign thus far has looked backward rather than forward. He projects five themes that, taken together, don't give voters much reason to support him: I'm a serious guy. I'm not corrupt. I'm a good administrator. I've earned this. It's my turn.

What's missing here is some sense of what Illinois needs to accomplish, and why Jim Ryan thinks he is the leader who can deliver for the people of this state.

Exhibit A: As of now, the greatest challenge awaiting the next governor is a budget shortfall that threatens to become a chronic drag on programs and services. Illinois has developed a fat and overextended state government that taxpayers cannot sustain, especially in hard times. With so many timid legislators afraid to seriously downsize the monster they've helped create, Illinois needs a smart, strong governor to take on all the heavily featherbedded bureaucracies.

But when he was asked during an appearance last week before the Tribune editorial board what he would eliminate from the budget, Ryan offered only minimalist, I'll-have-to-study-that answers. He parroted his opponents in saying he would cut the number of educrats at the State Board of Education, an easy target. But his overarching answer was: "I guarantee you there are jobs that could be eliminated and programs cut, but I can't give you the answer to that right now."

Coming from any candidate for governor of Illinois in 2002, that's inexcusably lame. Jim Ryan in particular has been in Springfield long enough to have a hit list of do-little departments, agencies and programs.

But as with other tough issues--such as whether as governor he would want to prohibit most abortions if Roe vs. Wade is overturned, or whether he would fight for or against the proposed expansion of O'Hare International Airport--Ryan fudges and wiggles and scurries for his bunker. His idea of a bold initiative is criticizing terrorism, a position that won't cost him any votes this side of Yemen.

Memo to the Ryan camp: We do not crown governors here. We elect them by vote of the people. And the people of Illinois deserve more and better answers than the vague generalities that Jim Ryan thus far has deigned to give them.